Attacked sportswoman undergoes another amputation

Lucknow, April 17 (IANS) Twenty three-year-old sportswoman Arunima Sinha, who had to undergo amputation of her left lower limb after she was thrown off a running train in Bareilly last week, underwent yet another amputation here Sunday.

“The second surgery was necessitated as Arunima’s wounds developed severe infection, which could have led to bigger complications,” surgeon Vineet Sharma at the King George’s Medical College (KGMC) told IANS.

“Our main objective is to save her left knee which would enable fitting of a simpler artificial limb,” he said.

The promising athlete and volley ball player was shifted from the Bareilly district hospital to the Orthopaedics department of Lucknow’s famous KGMC (upgraded as Chhattrapati Shahuji Maharaj Medical University) Saturday to ensure expert management of her wounds.

“Since she has multiple fractures in her right lower limb as well, we have to keep her safe from any kind of infection,” said the doctor, who went on to add, “it is a long haul as Arunima would take several months to get back to normal life”.

A resident of Ambedkar Nagar, Arunima was pushed out of the general compartment of Padmawati Express for resisting a chain-snatching attempt by some hoodlums, while travelling from Lucknow to Delhi in the early hours of April 12.

Her left leg came under the wheels of another train passing the parallel rail track.

Railway cops carried her to the local district hospital where she lay injured, traumatised and unconscious for two days, before she could narrate her tale of woe to the cops.

The wide publicity she received in the print and electronic media attracted the attention of Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee who promptly offered a job. The sports ministry, which had earlier offered Rs.25,000, raised this to Rs.2 lakhs after a hue and cry.

The makers of the fabled Jaipur foot have also offered her the prosthetic device free of cost.

Financial assistance also followed from Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati, who gave her Rs.1 lakh, as well as from several other voluntary organisations and individuals.